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This lemon basil martini is the perfect balance of sweet and sour with a subtle basil flavor. Made with a homemade herb infused syrup for the most authentic flavor.
For other flavored martini recipes, try this strawberry martini, this raspberry martini, or this Baileys espresso martini.
Or, try one of the martini recipes from this list of fruity martini recipes.
If you want to try more basil flavored drinks, you will enjoy this watermelon basil mocktail.
Recipe Highlights
- The homemade basil syrup in this recipe is made with fresh basil leaves which gives an authentic basil taste without any artificial flavoring.
- The sweet basil syrup balances out the sour lemon for a smooth drink.
- If you make the basil syrup in advance, this lemon drop martini is incredibly fast to make.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Lemon Juice: Since this is the main star of the cocktail, only use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Artificial lemon juice can taste overly sour.
- Vodka: Use a medium quality vodka. Save top shelf vodka for drinking on the rocks.
- Basil: This homemade simple syrup is infused with fresh basil leaves. Dried basil won’t work for this recipe.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar. Brown sugar will also work but will give the drink a slight caramel flavor.
- Water: A bit of water is used to make the simple syrup.
Equipment
- A small saucepan to make the basil simple syrup in.
- A cocktail shaker to make the martini in.
- A coupe or martini glass to serve the cocktail in.
Instructions
Step 1: Heat the water, basil and sugar on a saucepan over medium heat. Heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t let it boil. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, remove the syrup from the stove.
Step 2: Strain out the basil leaves from the syrup. Discard the leaves.
Step 3: Add the basil syrup, lemon juice and vodka to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well for 5 to 8 seconds until frosted on the outside. Strain and serve.
Expert Tips
- Store leftover simple syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 to 2 weeks.
- Chill the martini glasses in the freezer before serving the martini.
- To make a sugar rim, run a lemon slice along the edge of the martini glass. Then, dip the rim in a 1:1 combination of granulated sugar and lemon zest.
- For garnish, use a thin lemon slice or make a lemon twist. To make a lemon twist, use a vegetable peeler to peel a thin slice of lemon peel. Then, wrap the peel around a chopstick and hold it in place for 10 seconds for it to take shape.
FAQ
Limoncello will overpower the other flavors in this lemon martini. Instead, try making this limoncello martini or this limoncello tonic.
Even though other lemon basil martini recipes muddle the basil leaves, this doesn’t add nearly as much basil flavor as making a homemade basil syrup.
📖 Recipe
Lemon Basil Martini
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 martini 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This lemon basil martini is the perfect balance of sweet and sour with a subtle basil flavor. Made with a homemade herb infused syrup for the most authentic flavor.
Ingredients
- Basil Simple Syrup:
- ½ cup basil leaves, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- Lemon Basil Martini:
- 1 ½ oz basil simple syrup
- 1 oz vodka
- 1 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Instructions
- First, make the basil syrup: Add the basil leaves, sugar and water to a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring to a gentle simmer, but don’t let the syrup boil. Continue to heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sugar has fully dissolved.
- Remove the saucepan from the stove and strain out the basil leaves. Let the syrup cool to room temperature before using.
- Then, make the martini: Add the basil syrup, lemon juice and vodka to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well for 5 to 10 seconds until the outside is frosted. Strain and pour into a chilled martini glass.
Notes
- Storing the syrup: Store leftover basil syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 to 2 weeks.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cocktails
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 martini
- Calories: 214
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 8mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 39.2g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 0.1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Erik
Love this flavor combo. Such a classy cocktail!
Beth
Oh, yes. Lemon and basil are an amazing combination, and I can almost taste them with the alcohol in this right now. Fantastic!
Sara Welch
This was such a unique and unexpected cocktail that does not disappoint! Loved the combination of basil and lemon; was the perfect amount of zest and flavor!